Below is a list of the Top 10 large counties as determined by the Fourth Economy Index – six of which are Rust Belt counties (shown in bold):

Durham County (Durham), North Carolina

Sedgwick County (Wichita), Kansas

Guilford County (Greensboro), North Carolina

Linn County (Cedar Rapids), Iowa

Onondaga County (Syracuse), New York

Dakota County (Twin Cities), Minnesota

Lehigh County (Allentown), Pennsylvania

Polk County (Des Moines), Iowa

Kalamazoo County (Kalamazoo), Michigan

Hamilton County (Chattanooga), Tennessee

It is interesting to note that none of the Top 10 are from the New England, South Central, Rocky Mountain, or Pacific Coast states. Congratulations to all those counties that made the Top 10, particularly those from the Rust Belt.